The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has disclosed that Nigeria risks being banned from the airspace of the United States and European countries due to the handling of Nigeria Air’s certification by the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the spokesperson of the AON, Obiora Okonkwo, said Sirika is pushing for the commencement of Nigeria Air’s operation without undergoing the “rigorous five-phase certification process before it is granted” the Air Operators Certificate (AOC).
Okonkwo said the AOC is a safety certificate issued by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). He explained that failure to complete the process is considered a serious infraction by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
